Our Philosophy

We foster sustained change

Building new habits

Just starting a new program can result in substantial change. The most important objective is to support the formation of the long term habits that will sustain a student’s success. Building new habits is hard work that frequently requires guided, patient problem solving. Consistency is critically important when supporting habit formation and requires remarkable diligence. We have a diverse selection of services in our “toolbox” in order to give us tremendous flexibility supporting our students’ growth and transformation.

Working ourselves out of a job

We want the goal of every student that walks through our doors to be to break their old, unsuccessful habits and form new, more functional habits. It is incredibly important to us that we get complete student “buy-in” to make and sustain these changes. We are experts at working with students to define their goals and find the things that will motivate them to succeed. We then channel that motivation towards the hard journey to change their habits. Our end goal is to transform our students into skilled, independent self-learners. The happiest days at GOALS are when our students no longer need our support and services.

At GOALS we believe in

Neurodiversity

The core belief at GOALS is that each brain is unique and learns in a different way. Neurodiversity explores the variations in the structure and biochemistry of people’s brains that leads to differences in temperament and cognition. Our world is made better and stronger by having such a broad diversity of minds. Our mission at GOALS is to work with each student to help them understand their brain and how to craft strategies to optimize it.

Honesty

At GOALS we are 100% honest with our students. We acknowledge our own strengths and weaknesses and make it a safe place for students to do the same. We assess the situation with our students (regarding academics or avoidance behaviors) and determine the best resolution. Students are encouraged to face reality and fix things. We do not dwell on mis-steps and failure; instead, these are seen as opportunities to correct and learn.

Continuity of care

Continuity of care is a critical component of the GOALS service philosophy. We have a well-developed communication system that allows staff to be versed in a student’s situation and current status. We regularly check and track student grades, grade trends and missing assignments, and we teach our students to do the same. Our detailed session notes not only cover content, but also the specific learning strategies that have proven to be most successful with each student. We have a broad diversity of staff with a strong spectrum of skills and experiences; we work as a fluidly integrated team pairing our students with the appropriate staff at the appropriate phase to best meet the needs of the client.

GOALS has made a profound difference in my son’s high school experience. The team at GOALS started by getting him back on track for honors biology where he was having a tough time. Then GOALS moved onto the real work: Teaching my son how to learn in a way that was right for him. I recommend GOALS to any students who want to bring out the best in themselves.

Dave

Parent of Junior,
Mountain View High School

I found the missing piece of the puzzle at GOALS. They have given me the tools to become the well-rounded man I’ve always dreamed of being.

John

Junior,
Santa Clara University

More Info

We would love to hear more about your student and help you determine if GOALS is the right match. To start this process, we will need information on your student and their background. Please
contact us and express your interest. We strive to respond to all inquiries within 24 to 48 hours. All information is kept strictly confidential.

About Us

GOALS is a comprehensive academic support team serving middle, high school, and college students. We create systems and strategies that help each student achieve their academic goals and build habits that will enable them to succeed on their own. We believe in the saying “Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.” At GOALS we strive to give our students the tools to be successful throughout their academic careers.